Be Careful What You Wish For
by Chelly18
Summary: AU. How would Harry have grown and matured with aide of someone who knew the future and the past? With the help of Elizabeth, how would the world of Harry Potter change if he had the help and information he needed at an earlier age?


Disclaimer: I unfortunately do not own Harry Potter, no matter how much I want him.

A.N: So this story has been floating around in my head for months now but it's only been today that I finally found a version that I like. I dreamt about it last night and couldn't resist typing it out today. I'm not sure if I want to do a whole story of this. It might just be one shots of this universe but we'll see. Hope you like it.

Summary: AU. How would Harry have grown and matured with aide of someone who knew the future and the past? With the help of Elizabeth, how would the world of Harry Potter change if he had the help and information he needed at an earlier age?

Chapter 1

Harry looked wide eyed at the talking snake. It couldn't have been his imagination that he heard it speak. But before he could determine if what he heard was true, Dudley pushed him out of the way to examine the now moving reptile.

"Did you just talk to that snake?" someone behind him questioned making him jump and turn to see the person behind him.

It was a young girl about his age with black hair and grey eyes. She was studying him peculiarly and it was making him fidget on spot.

"Er… of course not," he answered but she just looked at him disbelievingly.

"I wouldn't recommend you doing that in front of anyone else. Being a parslemouth is a skill that people are very wary of. Well," she paused. "Unless your part of the darker families."

"What?" he asked completely clueless.

"You are Harry Potter aren't you?" she asked curiously.

"Er…" was his intelligent response, to what was shaping up to be one of his most bizarre days.

"Do you mind?" she asked lifting her hand up towards his face. He wasn't completely sure on what she was doing but was curious enough himself to see what she was up to.

Gently moving his hair away from his forehead she examined the telltale scar of a lightning bold that he had had for as long as he could remember. A souvenir from the car crash his relatives said.

"I didn't think you were real." She told him simply studying him all the while. "I've grown up reading about you but I never thought I'd get to meet you. It's quite a bizarre experience for me," she informed him with a bemused smile. When he still looked at her helplessly confused the stranger shook her head as if to clear unwanted thoughts.

"I'm being terribly rude. I'm Elizabeth Smythweck." She shook his hand. "I'm sure you have many questions but I think some of them would be better suited in private." She took his hand in hers and proceeded to drag him along. "Did you happen to get your letter yet?" she asked while stopping to admire some iguanas and seemed to think for a moment before shaking her head again. "Of course you wouldn't have. You're not eleven yet. Oh well" she shrugged looking over at him. "I'm sure it'll be delivered to you soon. Your birthday's not too far off."

"How do you even know me?" he finally asked.

"Everyone knows off you Harry Potter. You're famous."

"For what?"

"For being the only one to banish the Dark Lord Voldemort when you were a baby," she looked at him sadly.

"For what?" he asked once again. Nothing was making sense and he had a strange feeling that the girl in front of him was enjoying his confusion a little too much. Looking into her lightened eyes proved his theory to be correct and he scowled.

"I'm sorry," she chuckled a little. "I know I shouldn't be laughing about such a serious topic. Especially the death of your parents," she seemed to become somber for second before smiling back at him. "But honestly I still find myself amused that I'm in this situation talking to you about your life that you should know about."

"What should I know about? And what are you talking about?" He asked completely frustrated.

Tugging him along pass the reptile exhibit into the birds of prey he waited for her to answer his question.

"Have you ever done something strange in your life that was unexplainable and usually during or after a particular situation that had you wishing for something to happen."

"Yes," Harry answered honestly after a moment. He could feel that what she could reveal to him would be the key to what he had been missing all his life.

Nodding to herself she looked at him straight in the eyes. "It's because of magic Harry. I know it sounds utterly unimaginably fantastic but it's the truth. You are a wizard Harry and I'm a witch. A potion making, broom riding, wand waving witch," she finished waiting for his reaction. And if Harry had not just recently spoken with a snake, and remembered all the bizarre events of his life such as; teleporting to the rooftop of the school building, and growing his hair out the next day, then he wouldn't have even considered her explanation. But what really drove it home for him was the serious and intense look in her eyes that showed she was telling the truth.

"Magic," he paused. "I'm a wizard?"

"Yes," Elizabeth finally smiled. "I'm surprised your guardians haven't told you about it," she said casually looking away to the next exhibit of some exotic parrots.

"My relatives aren't the most accepting of anything that is not normal in their lives. I wouldn't be surprised if they had decided to hide the fact that I'm a wizard," _and why they call me a 'freak'_ he thought. "Do you…Can you prove to me that magic is real," he looked over and rushed to explain himself. "Not that I don't believe you of course. But you must admit that it's a little far fetched and…"

"Of course Harry I understand," she laughed at his flustered appearance and Harry blushed, turning even redder then he was a second ago.

Elizabeth looked around and dragged him to a secluded sitting area surrounded by green plants and flowers. She looked around one more time before picking up one of the yellow flowers and stood in front of Harry.

"Watch," she said quietly and Harry did. With wide eyes he saw the flower twirl and float in her hands, doing a little dance, closing its petals and opening it like a clam before settling on his on hand that Elizabeth had taken and opened for him.

"Brilliant," he smiled widely.

"I know," she smiled back proudly. "It took me a week to do that."

"So I can do that too?"

"Yup! With practice I'm sure you'll be brilliant as well."

"Elizabeth!" a voice behind them called out authoritatively. Looking over her head Harry spotted a regal looking woman, with dark brown hair and startling dark green eyes. She was dressed smartly in tan slacks and a dark green shirt that looked much more at home at a business conference or a night out for dinner at a nice restaurant. From Elizabeth's own smartly dressed attire, Harry deduced that she came from a well to do family.

"Mother," Elizabeth turned to acknowledge her. "I apologize for wandering off," she continued knowing why her mother was incense. "I was just showing Harry around the zoo, and I thought he'd appreciate the company of someone his age," she left out the fact that he was with his cousins and his relatives.

Her mother still looked displeased but chose to purse her mouth instead of comment. "Very well. But you must tell someone where you are to go before you wander off Elizabeth, you know how much we worry," her gaze softened.

"Yes, I know," Elizabeth gave her a soft smile in return. Turning back to Harry she took his hand and pulled him closer to her mother.

"Mother, may I present Lord Harrison James Potter of the Most ancient and noble house of Potter. Harry, let me introduce you to my mother. Lady Sophia Atria Pleione Smythweck, Head of one of the most ancient and honorable house of McKinnon, and Matriarch to the house of Smythweck."

Harry stood wide eyed at the introduction and felt a little intimidated at the lady in front of him that was critiquing him silently with her eyes.

"It's a pleasure to meet you young Mr. Potter," she had neglected the title with his obvious uncomfortable reaction and confusion at the address. She glanced at her daughter with an eyebrow raised.

"I have decided to befriend Mr. Potter in hopes that a better acquaintance will lead to more fruitful endeavors in the future," the last part was said with a raised inflection of a question.

Lady Smythweck seemed to sigh, before saying, "Very well Elizabeth. I hope you know what you're doing," before she turned and informed them to meet at the entrance in 1 hour. Ecstatic Elizabeth pulled him along to go through the rest of the zoo.

"What was that?" Harry finally asked.

"Oh that?" Elizabeth waved it off. "Mother has been training me to become more adept at dealing with the stuck up nobility of both the wizarding and muggle world. I hope that didn't make you uncomfortable, but in certain situations I must act like that. The wizarding world is backwards you see, and a lot of the old pureblood families are still throwing their titles around like it matters."

"Muggles? Purebloods?" Harry wanted to sit down for a minute to absorb all the information he was getting but didn't understand.

Elizabeth looked at him apologetically. "Muggles are non-magicals, and Purebloods are families that have only ever mated with wizarding families old enough to prove that you have had wizards in your family for generations. I know it's a lot to take in but I'll try to explain it to you to the best of my ability in the future. But for now enjoy the zoo."

She continued to tug him a long and after awhile Harry learned to enjoy himself with his first friend. They explored the rest of the bird exhibit, and then to the small aquarium, where they saw exotic fish, and penguins and whales, then to the lions, giraffes and bears. They read the little excerpts of information, talked about funny little anecdotes and all around had a good time.

By the time they were to meet Lady Smythweck at the entrance Harry was laughing at one of Elizabeth's story on what she did to her grandfather on April fools.

"Mother was furious!" she waved her arms around, puffing her cheeks up like a squirrel. "Elizabeth Adhara Pleiades Vance-Smythweck," she shouted in her impersonation of her mother.

Harry stopped laughing to gawk, wide eyed at her name before laughing again at Eliza's clearly frustrated features.

"Don't laugh," she huffed. "I know it's a ridiculous name but apparently my mother insisted," she rolled her eyes. "Do you want to hear the rest of the story or not?"

Silently wiping tears away from his eye Harry nodded for her to continue. He was too afraid he'd bust out laughing if he said yes.

"As I was saying…" but before she could continue another voice joined hers.

"Elizabeth!"

They both turned to see her mother waiting at the entrance with quite a few body guards stationed around a black non-descriptive vehicle, tapping her fingers on her crossed arms in clear displeasure. Harry looked at Eliza who was looking sheepish and looked at his watch and realized they were at least half an hour late.

"I'm sorry we lost track of time."

"Boy!" another voice shouted a little ways from the men in black, where his uncle was turning a steadily alarming rate of purple. He was about to head towards his uncle with reluctant steps before Eliza held him back.

"What's his name?" she quickly asked.

"Vernon Dursely, his my uncle,"

"Good. Let me take care of this," and before he could say a word she swept away from him and towards his waiting family.

"Good evening Mr. Dursely. Mrs. Dursley I presume," she nodded to Petunia. His uncle stopped to stare at the well dressed child in front of him.

"I am Elizabeth Vance of the Vance International Corp. I'm sure you've heard of it," the quick intake of breath from Petunia and Vernon's immediate straightening of his spine showed that they had indeed heard of the prestigious company. "I was just recently introduced to your lovely nephew Harry and had a fantastic time exploring the zoo with him," She turned back to look at him and motioned for him to come forward and he did so reluctantly seeing the obvious distaste and souring look at Eliza's comments of having a lovely nephew and a good time. But her obvious status in their eyes held their tongue and dislike of him.

"I was wondering if you were kind enough to let him over at my manor this summer. You see, I'm visiting my grandfather and while I love him dearly he is a very busy man and having another person my age would be most delightful," she gave them her sweetest smile, momentarily stunning the lot. "Of course I'll have someone pick him up rather then wasting your valuable time and money to chauffer him around," when she still didn't get the response that she wanted she turned to her mother with a pleading look and she acquiesced.

"Mr and Mrs. Dursley," Lady Smythweck nodded regally. "I am Sophia Vance, Elizabeth's mother. I apologize for not approaching you earlier and not informing you of where your nephew was. I'm sure you were worried but I was unaware of your relation," she continued on choosing to ignore their disgruntled looks. "I hope that my daughter's demands are not too unreasonable," she paused to give her daughter a disapproving look, which Eliza once again ignored and continued to act, bemused at the whole situation.

"To rectify this mistake I would like to invite you to dinner tonight; on me of course, to discuss any further play dates; as it were, between my daughter and your nephew. I'm sure that you wouldn't want to trust complete strangers with the care of Harry so this dinner will give us the chance to get to know one another."

"That's very generous of…" Vernon started but Lady Smythweck cut him off skillfully.

"I'm proposing Azur, I know that Chemise, has been wanting me to visit for a while now and I believe this is a good time as any, wouldn't you say Elizabeth," she turned to her daughter.

"Of course mother. I have not seen Aunt Mi Mi for months."

"Oh Vernon," he heard his aunt whisper in longing.

"Ahem," his uncle looked very uncomfortable and Harry assumed it was more to do with Harry being the one to give them the opportunity to eat at a place they've been wanting to for years but could never afford. "Yes, ahem, this is very generous of you and…" he paused to take in the body guards, the car and their style of dress before he continued, "we'd be delighted to join you."

"Excellent," Lady Smythweck said in a tone of voice that said it hadn't even occurred to her for them to refuse. "We will meet at Azur in say, 2 hours, to give you time to change and get ready. I hope you don't mind me taking Harry with us to the manor. Father has just informed me that he is home and is most interested to meet Harry. Elizabeth is not one to make friends easily so any friend she is willing to make and have over he takes a personal interest in."

Harry knew that was a lie, because Eliza had turned to her mother in surprise before covering it up quickly. He didn't know why the lady was including him in her plans now when an hour ago she seemed to not approve of his presence but he wasn't complaining. He knew that as soon as he came home, his relatives would interrogate him and he wasn't looking forward to it. So anything to delay the inevitable was okay in his book. Besides he still wanted some answers, and he knew the Eliza would be willing to provide it to him; she had promised, and going to her manor is at private as it could get.


End file.
